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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the operation and movement of a vehicle when certain |
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traffic-control signals do not display an indication. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 544.007, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsections (i) and (j) and adding Subsection (k) to |
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read as follows: |
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(i) An operator of a vehicle facing a traffic-control |
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signal, other than a freeway entrance ramp control signal or a |
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[pedestrian] hybrid beacon, that does not display an indication in |
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any of the signal heads shall stop as provided by Section 544.010 as |
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if the intersection had a stop sign. |
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(j) In this section: |
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(1) "Freeway entrance ramp control signal" means a |
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traffic-control signal that controls the flow of traffic entering a |
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freeway. |
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(2) "Hybrid [Pedestrian hybrid] beacon" means a |
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controller-activated [pedestrian-controlled] traffic-control |
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signal that displays different colored lights successively only |
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when activated by a pedestrian or an emergency vehicle or other |
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vehicle or person authorized by Subsection (k) or by the manual |
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adopted under Section 544.001. |
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(k) A vehicle operated by an authority created under Chapter |
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451 may activate a hybrid beacon if: |
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(1) the authority was confirmed before July 1, 1985, |
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and the principal municipality in the service area of the authority |
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has a population of less than 850,000; and |
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(2) the activation of the beacon is authorized under |
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an experimentation approved by the department as provided in the |
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manual adopted under Section 544.001. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |